Charlie Mulgrew admits he thought his chance to become a fully-fledged Celtic player had gone when he left the club four years ago having failed to force his way into the first team under Gordon Strachan.
After a loan spell at Dundee United, the former Celtic youth player departed for Wolves in a deal which involved Lee Naylor coming to Parkhead, but the former Scotland Under-21 player returned north of the border to Aberdeen in 2008. After his contract at Pittodrie expired this summer, Hoops' boss Neil Lennon stepped in to hand the 24-year-old left-back a three-year deal and a return to his boyhood heroes.
Speaking at the club's Lennoxtown training complex, Mulgrew said: "To be fair, once I left Celtic I thought that was it. It's not very often a player comes back to a club like this but it was up to me to work hard, play the best I could and believe I could get back to this sort of level and I'm just delighted to be here."
He added: "I was pretty close to signing for Sheffield United to be honest, but when this came calling there was no doubt where I was going.
"It's good to be back. It's been on-going for a couple of weeks now and I'm happy to be back.
"Growing up a Celtic fan it was a dream move and I'm delighted."
Source: PA
